And we'll collect the moments one by one, I guess that's how the future's done - Feist

I have a few moments to tell about and I hope it gives a sense of my general state of mind, how I have been spending my time and what my life has been like the last week.

Moment number 1:

So, as I have said, in Israel shabbas plans are an ordeal..people make plans days in advance - a week, maybe even two...craziness. It is a time to chill the hell out. Talk to friends. I find my 24 hours of hightened holiness filled every week with food, praying, hanging out, sleeping and reading. Who wouldn't want to celebrate a day where you are obligated to chill out. Anyway, at a recent shabbat meal at my friend Rachel's apartment we were sitting around the table drinking our wine, eating our food and having our laughs when we got into a discussion about the reluctance of Israelis to admit when there are common yisddishisms that have been adopted into modern Hebrew. Now, there were all anglos around the table and one Israeli, a sabra (someone who was born in Israel). Someone brought up the word mentch. I would define someone who is a mentch as someone who does the Right Thing. They are morally upright and do the Right Thing no matter potential gain or personal recognition. Something like that. Now, all of the anglos around the table knew what the word meant, at least could give an example of an action that was "mentch-like". The only person who didn't know what the word meant was our lone sabra. He did, however, know a different word - frier. Most of the anglos around the table, including me, had never heard of the word before. The woman who was explaining all this did and the sabra did. A frier, from what i could get, is someone who gets taken advantage of. For example, if you have ever driven in Israel (so I hear:), and you get cut off or let someone in in heavy traffic, then you are a frier. I know it is difficult to replicate a room full of people laughing at a linguistic-cultural oddity, but there we were. I am curious what my israeli friends out there think of this idea: Israelis arent't taught to be a mentch, they are taught NOT to be a frier.

By the way, Israelis are known for being very abrupt, snappy perhaps, in your face, some might even say rude. Tough on the outside perhaps. That is the stereotype anyway. The word sabra is the word used to signify someone who was born (and raised?) in Israel. A sabra is a fruit that you find on a cactus - it is very tough on the outside but of course sweet on the inside. I find it so interesting the way israelis have personal interactions. They crack me up. They will give you a hard time, but you persist, you let them give you a hard time and then they at some point break and help you out. It is like dealing with my mom - she always says no first and gives me a hard time and then slowly she sees a way to work things out. I love you mom, a non-sabra with an israeli mentality? :)

moment two:

This past week I moved into my rosh yeshiva's apartment in Abu Tor. It is a beautiful apartment and it overlooks the tayelet - or promenade. I don't know how I got so lucky but I have a month in a great place, no rent and nice people to live with. THen I move into my long term place in late august! So, last Friday i went gorcery shopping in the morning with Isaac, one of the rosh yeshiva's kids.

We were in a hardware store (by hardware store i mean small shop stuffed to the brim with knicknacks and no hope of finding something on your own:) getting a key copied. Isaac was speaking with one of the clerks and another came up to me where I was standing (with my arms open in front of a fan - it has been SO hot lately!) and asked if i needed something. I said, "lo toda, anachnu b'yachad," "no thanks, we are together."

So now i have to disclose another piece of information for the story to be understood. You see, i cover my hair when i don't have time to shower in the morning which was the case on this particular morning. I use a big scarf and wrap it into a bun at the top of my neck. I was wearing a tank top and shorts. All together that is a covered head, and shorts and a tank top. My friend dan today said that i was in a sense dressed like a frum slut. hahahaha! a frum slut. Ok - a frum person is a religious person. A frum woman covers her hair after she gets married but also wouldn't be caught dead wearing shorts and a tank top.

So of course I don't have a wedding ring, im not married (btw God, i AM still waiting here:). But having your head covered is kind of a sign that you are - and in Jerusalem I suppose anything is possible. Even if i was showing off my legs and shoulders the clerks in the store COULD assume that i am frum and married.

So as we are leaving the store one of the guys comes up to isaac and gives him a bag with two mugs in it. He then says to us, "matana lazug ha'tza'ir" - "a present for the young couple."

Varda, i hope you are laughing cause i swear i could hear you laughing at the time...all the way in Cuse.

So apparently I am a frum, married woman who is living in Jerusalem. But thats only my day job. at night i am secretly negotiating peace between hizbulla and israel, solving our energy use dillema and learning to go fly a kite.

much love. big hugs. hearty laughs.